The Place You Return To
by iamhermionemalfoy
Summary: Just when Miyu was contented with how her life was, she was forced to move to America with her parents. Will Kanata just stand by and let her go?
1. Prologue

The Place You Return To

By cenagurl

A/n: Okay, so this is going to be my very first Daa! Daa! Daa! Fic, so please be kind enough to correct any error you see along my story… enjoy!

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Prologue

Kouzuki Miyu woke up to a sunny Saturday morning, and she was welcomed by the merry chirping of the birds outside her bedroom window and shafts of sunlight hitting her eyes softly, coaxing her to wake up and face yet another day.

Opening her bleary emerald eyes, she glanced over at her alarm clock on the tableside. 8:00.

Usually she would have pulled the blankets over her head and slept some more to catch on the sleep she was deprived of during school days, but this day was different.

It would be exactly a year since she had first stepped into the Saionji Temple to live with the baby alien Ruu, his cat/dog/alien nanny Wanya and the inexpressive boy Kanata.

She had come to love each of her housemates dearly, although a different sort of love was reserved for each; motherly/sisterly love for baby Ruu, a friendly sort of love for the helpful and adorable Wanya, whereas for Kanata…

Miyu could feel her cheeks heating up as her thoughts strayed to her handsome housemate. She had really come to liking him very much these past days… loving him even, despite his stony façade and sarcastic nature.

Her love for him was very different from the love she gave Ruu, Wanya and her friends; it was the kind of love that made her feel warm and tingly and nervous and red and… well, you get the picture.

"Breakfast is ready!" came Wanya's cheerful voice from downstairs, followed by Ruu's playful squeal of delight. Smiling, Miyu stood up and went to the bathroom to freshen up before heading downstairs.

As she entered the kitchen, she was surprised to see balloons strewn around the room, with a banner that said, "We're Glad to have Miyu for a Year!" and lots of food on the table.

"Oh guys, this is great!" Miyu managed to say through her tears. "Thank you so much…"

Kanata was standing by the stove, wearing an apron and cooking some hotdogs, and staring at her with his usual vacant expression. Miyu, unable to help herself, rushed over to give him a hug. A tinge of pink crept up the boy's cheeks, and looking very embarrassed, he tried to pull away.

"Thanks, Kanata," she said shyly when she let go. Kanata mumbled something incoherent and went back to cooking. Miyu then hugged Wanya and kissed the top of Ruu's head.

"Ruu-sama was the one who decorated the place up, with my assistance of course, but this is all Kanata-san's idea," Wanya informed her, and Kanata turned his back on them so they wouldn't see how red his face was becoming.

Miyu was feeling very giddy with happiness now; she never imagined Kanata to be this thoughtful towards her. Surely behind those insults and teasing remarks he always hurled at her, there was a hint of kindness within him…

_Rrrriiiinnnnggg! Rrrriiiinnnnggg! _

Miyu immediately went over to the phone and answered it. "Hello?" she said politely, and her mom's cheery voice chirped at the other end, "Miyu, honey, how are you?"

"I'm alright mom," she said, a smile tugging at her lips. She really missed her mom, who was currently in America with her dad working as astronauts. She didn't know they had returned from their current space voyage.

"Well, Miyu, dear, I have a very great news for you—we're taking you to America!"

Miyu nearly dropped the receiver in shock. "W—what?" she sputtered out, her breath coming out in uneven rhythms. The world suddenly seemed to spin around her, and she was overcome by a sudden urge to retch.

"You'll be coming with us to America, dear!" her mother said excitedly. "Your father's already found us a nice and cozy apartment and a great school for you as well! Here you can get yourself a nice American boyfriend,"

Miyu was too flabbergasted to reply. America… sure, she wanted to live closer to her parents, but somehow the thought of leaving this house didn't sit well with her.

She peered over at Kanata, who was now seated at the table, watching her intently. Miyu felt tears spring up her eyes as she thought of leaving him. Averting her gaze on the floor, she whispered, "I see…"

"Aren't you happy with the arrangements, dear?" her mom asked worriedly. "I thought you would want to be with us here…"

"Of course I want to be with you," Miyu answered hastily. "It's just that…" she couldn't continue, for her words were choked up by her tears.

She turned away from Kanata and the others to obscure her tear-streaked face.

"I know it will be pretty difficult for you to leave your friends there, but this would be a rare opportunity for you to experience life outside of Japan," her mom said softly.

It took Miyu a few moments to regain her composure and reply. "How long will we stay there?" she asked.

"I don't know dear. Forever, I suppose," her mom answered honestly. "Although you would be free to visit your friends from time to time, of course," she added quickly.

Miyu sighed in resignation, knowing there was no way out of this. "Alright mom… I'll come."

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Kanata was pretty disturbed by Miyu's odd behavior during the remainder of the day. She had locked herself up in her room, going out only to use the bathroom, and when he glimpsed her face, he was alarmed to see her eyes red and swollen.

He wanted so badly to go over to her and ask her about her problem, but something held him back; was it fear of rejection or mere cowardice to his own feelings? He had known for a long time that he had come to care deeply for Miyu, although he would never admit that to anyone.

Was her distress caused by the phone call that morning? She had been cheerful before she had answered the phone, even hugging him and thanking him for his thoughtfulness. He wondered whom she had conversed with on the phone.

"You've been sighing all day, Kanata-san," Wanya observed as they lounged around in the front porch, Wanya playing with Ruu and Kanata reading. "Why don't you go check on Miyu-san? She's been cooped in her room the whole day already. Do you think she's sick?"

Kanata shrugged nonchalantly, and Wanya eyed him wearily. "You can't pretend you don't care for the rest of your life, you know," the alien nanny said wisely, and Kanata stiffened.

"Shut it, Wanya."

He hadn't meant to speak so rudely, but he couldn't help himself. He wasn't very used to showing off his feelings or talking about it, and his frustration to talk to Miyu made matters even worse.

Turning to Wanya with apology in his eyes, he said, "Gomen, Wanya. I just…"

Wanya gave him an understanding pat on the shoulder. "I understand Kanata-san, I understand."

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Miyu remained distant to Kanata and the others for the next days. She didn't know how she would tell them, afraid of their indifference, of her own emotions.

Wanya had politely asked her if she was alright, and she pasted on a very fake smile and said that everything was going fine. Ruu was sweet as usual, but Miyu kept her distance away, not wanting to attach herself any longer, knowing it would be more painful when she left.

She was also wounded by Kanata's apathetic attitude towards her. He didn't seem to care that she cried almost everyday, and that she was sometimes skipping her meals.

It pained her to think that he would not care if she left; would he just forget about her when she was gone?

Her mother would be coming to fetch her the following week. She had told Miyu to spend her remaining time bonding with her friends but Miyu had reasoned out that it would be more painful leaving if she spent more time with them.

"Dear, avoiding them would only worsen the situation. And do think about what they would feel when you leave without even saying goodbye to them? Go host a farewell party and invite all your friends," her mother had said on her latest call.

Miyu had no plans of conducting a party, and her mom seemed to sense this as well. That's the reason why she decided to talk to Kanata herself and plan out a party for her daughter.

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"Hello? Kouzuki-san, how are you?" Kanata asked politely as he answered the phone.

"Fine, dear, just fine… Miyu isn't around, is she?" Kouzuki-san asked in an anxious voice.

"Well, she's upstairs— "

"Wait! It's you I want to talk to, dear," Kouzuki-san rushed out, and Kanata's curiosity was piqued. "What would you like to tell me, Kouzuki-san?" he asked.

"Well, since Miyu would be leaving next week, there's a favor I need to ask of you…"

Kanata blinked, sure that he had misheard. "Miyu would be leaving?" he echoed, surprise evident in his voice.

"Oh my, hasn't Miyu informed you yet? I will be fetching her next week, and she'll be living with us in America," Kouzuki-san explained, and Kanata felt as though he had received an invisible blow on his stomach.

"She didn't tell me…" he managed to respond, his voice coming out angry. He heard the woman sigh at the end of the line, and she said, "Forgive my daughter, dear, the news has been pretty hard for her to bear, you know… and she has been having this ridiculous mentality that the more she detaches herself from you, the less pain she would feel upon leaving. That's the main reason I called you in the first place,"

"What would you like me to do, ma'am?" he asked, trying with all his might to control the sudden whirlwind of emotions whirring inside him, clawing his heart into pieces…

"Well, since my daughter won't come to spend some quality time with her friends, I have decided to throw a farewell party for her where all her friends would be invited, and for that, I would need your assistance…"

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Miyu was taking a little stroll in the gardens of the temple when a painful grip enclosed around her arm, forcing her to turn around. With an unsuppressed gasp she was whirled about and she saw Kanata's livid face a few inches from hers. His amber eyes were absolutely blazing with anger now, and he was positively trembling with rage.

Miyu had never seen him in such a state before; his fury was so raw she couldn't help but flinch. "W—what's wrong?" she asked.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he ground out, his grip tightening on her arm.

"I—I—"

The fire in his eyes slowly turned to a look of desperation, a look asking for an explanation from her. His hand also fell from her arm, limp on his side as he stared helplessly at her.

"Why?"

Tears rolled down uncontrollably on Miyu's cheeks as she staggered to explain. She could find no words for her action, just tears…

Kanata did not move over to comfort her; he just stood there across her, his gaze blank.

"I'm so sorry…"

"…"

"Kanata…"

It must have been the soft plea in her voice that made him move; without thinking he closed the distance between them and took her in his arms. She buried her face on his neck as she continued to cry, and he instinctively tightened his hold on her, not letting go for a long time.

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"…So, this is it," Aya said softly, her eyes sparkling with tears. Nanami wiped her own eyes with the back of her hand, while Christine buried her face into her hanky.

"I'll miss you guys," Miyu whispered, gathering her friends in a goodbye hug. They held each other tightly, their tears coming out uncontrollably.

Kanata watched them with expressionless eyes, yet deep inside he could feel his heart shattering to the tiniest pieces.

As Miyu drew away from her female friends, her teary green-eyed gaze locked with Kanata's intense amber ones, and she gave him a weak smile. He wished he could smile back, but he didn't have the strength.

"I'm going to miss you, Kouzuki, you have been a great girl to hang out with," Santa was telling Miyu, who gave him a rib-cracking hug as she promptly burst into tears again. Nazoumo was behind them, a small sad smile on his face.

As Miyu turned to him, he reached over and took her hand, which he kissed. Kanata felt a surge of anger consume him as he watched his rival lean over Miyu and whisper something in her ear as she listened intently.

"Miyu, dear, we're leaving now!" Kouzuki-san called a few feet from them, waving their tickets about. "Hurry!"

Miyu then walked over to Wanya, who was now transformed as a blonde man, who was carrying Ruu. She gave the baby a quick kiss on the forehead and hugged the alien-nanny as she thanked him.

Kanata didn't think she would come to him. But she did, and her green eyes held a look of uncertainty as they gazed at each other. "Kanata…"

He wanted to tell her there and then how he really felt, but the words were stuck on his throat. She was just a few inches from him now…

"Thank you. For everything…" were her only words before she turned towards her mom.

Kanata wanted to kick himself for being such a coward. Speak now! His mind hollered.

Miyu had just walked five steps when she whirled around and rushed back to Kanata, whose eyes widened in surprise.

"I love you…" she whispered as she hugged him tightly.

Kanata cursed when he felt a hideous threat of tears in his eyes. Damn, he wasn't going to cry! He was a man, for Pete's sake.

What she did next completely startled him out of his wits. Standing on tiptoes, she reached up and kissed him chastely on the lips, then ran back to her mother, who was gawking at her in bafflement.

Kanata watched her disappear into the crowd, his heart constricting with pain, and his lips burning at the spot where she kissed him.

"I love you too, Miyu…"

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A/n: Yep, that's just an appetizer for you guys… so please, please review. :p

Oh, and please tell me if there are any grammatical errors or misspelled names… Thanks!


	2. Shattered Dreams

The Place You Return To

By cenagurl

A/n: I still do not own this kawaii anime… I wish I owned Kanata though. XD Anyway, this part of my fic occurs about two years after Miyu left Japan… so go on! Read and review please:p

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Chapter 1: Shattered Dreams

"This is my birthday gift?" Kouzuki Miyu sputtered out, looking at her father in utter disbelief. They had been dining at a fancy restaurant in New York while waiting for her mother who was in a meeting about a new space voyage, and she had been displaying an unusually crabby behavior the whole night.

Kouzuki Yuu shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking confused at his daughter's reaction. He had thought that the gift he and his wife chose would make their little girl happy.

"Miyu, dear, aren't you happy with our present?" he asked his daughter nervously, feeling a bit clammy despite the cool atmosphere in the restaurant. "I thought you wanted to—" his words were cut off when Miyu gave her father an unexpected hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Now that was way odd.

"Of course I love your present, dad! I've been wanting this since I first came here. Thank you so much!" Miyu said excitedly, her now shoulder-length blonde hair brushing delicately against her bare skin. Yuu returned his daughter's hug as he released a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad you like it, dear. I was afraid for a moment that I would have to replace it with something else" he said in his usual good-natured voice, contrary to the glare he shot to the male population dining in the restaurant giving his daughter suggestive looks.

Yuu felt quite proud at how beautiful his daughter had turned out, although he could not help feeling annoyed at the men's reactions. He knew his daughter would not appreciate their attention very much, as he had watch every boy who tried to court her walk away disappointed.

Yuu had a vague idea why his daughter acted this way; as what his wife had rehashed to him, Miyu seemed to have a sort of love interest to Hokushou's son, Kanata, and she didn't seem as though she had already forgotten him.

The men in the restaurant were still looking at her interestedly. She took no notice of them, however, as she scanned her plane ticket to Japan scheduled three days before her birthday.

She was so thrilled at the prospect of coming back to Japan again. Although she would only be staying there a month, she could not have asked for more. She was going to see her friends again… and Kanata…

A bittersweet smile touched her lips. She had not had any contact with him since their last encounter at the airport. Miyu blushed as she recalled how boldly she had acted then.

She had admitted her real feelings for him… and she even kissed him! She wondered what was on his mind during that moment. Did he feel the same way? Or did he laugh it off when she left?

Sighing, Miyu drained the last drops of her champagne, thinking bitterly that only Kanata held the answer to her queries.

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Miyu was planning to take them all by surprise, so she did not tell any of her friends she was coming home. Her first stop was the Saionji Temple, of course, as that was where her parents had ordered her to stay, and when she reached the place, no one was there save Kanata's father.

She was welcomed into the house warmly, and she was assigned to her old room once more. She was too shy to ask where Kanata was, but Saionji-san did not make things hard for her.

"Kanata's out with his friends, he just might be back later this afternoon," Saionji-san told her, leaving her to herself for the remainder of the day. Miyu then went out to search for her friends, but she didn't find anyone.

She had just passed by Nanami's house when someone tapped her softly on the shoulder. It was Nozomu, and he was gawking at her as though he couldn't believe his eyes.

"It couldn't be—Miyu-chan!" he said in awe. Miyu was so happy she finally saw someone she recognized she couldn't resist giving him a hug. "It's nice to see you again, Nozomu," she said.

Nozomu then offered to buy her a drink, and as they walked together to a nearby café, she asked him how the other guys were.

"Well, Nanami's taking piano lessons, Aya's been busy with the school play, Santa's still Santa, and well… Kanata…" Nozomu trailed off, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

"What is it, Nazoumo?" she asked, unable to keep the urgency from her voice. "Kanata's… well… ah…" Nozomu tried to find the least hurtful of words, but he seemed to be doing it in vain.

Miyu was beginning to get impatient with him. "I'll kick you in a place you'll regret if you don't tell me what's on your mind," she hissed.

"Alright! Kanata's—"

"Here are your orders, sir," the waiter interrupted them, brandishing a couple of shakes topped with cherries on the table as he whistled a tune under his breath.

Nozomu quickly pulled out his wallet and threw a wad of cash on the waiter's hands. "Sorry Miyu, I forgot I have a very important—"

Miyu kicked him in the shin from under the table and he fell back on his chair, howling with pain.

"Alright, Nozomu, out with it. NOW."

Nozomu was rubbing the leg she had kicked, and she was looking at Miyu with sympathetic eyes.

"Kanata's… Kanata's going out with Christine now."

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Miyu went back to the temple in a daze. She refused to believe what Nazoumo had told her earlier, not until she heard it from Kanata himself. Still, the piece of news had lashed painfully at her heart again, reopening the wounds that had just healed when she went to America.

She walked haggardly up the temple, knots forming in her stomach as she tried to imagine the look on Kanata's face if he saw her. Would he remain as indifferent as he was two years ago?

Saionji-san had gone to work by the time she reached their house. She then decided to stay in her room for a while, realizing that she wasn't ready to face Kanata just yet.

To take her mind off the boy in question, she flopped into her bed and read a book she had brought with her from America. Half an hour later, feeling quite bored and jumpy at same time, Miyu trudged downstairs to hang around at the front porch. She watched the stars, wondering where Ruu and Wanya might be. Have they returned to their homeland?

Just as she was about to doze off, a sound of footsteps got her attention, and straightening up, she saw two shadows climbing up the temple. She recognized one of the shadows as Kanata's, and the other one was definitely female, judging by the number of curves Miyu was able to make out.

Miyu felt her heart climb to her throat as she waited for the shadows to be exposed under the light. And when they were revealed, she felt her heart break.

It was Christine he was with, and just as Kanata waved goodbye to her, she pulled him back and gave him what seemed to be a passionate kiss on the lips.

Miyu wouldn't not allow herself to see anything much longer. She was about to rush inside her house when Kanata spotted her. His eyes widened in shock, and he quickly pulled away from Christine, who looked just as startled as he was.

"M—Miyu…" he rasped out, his throat drying up at the sight of her. She had become a lot more beautiful than he last saw her, her blonde hair now only reaching her shoulders, and the white cotton dress she wore made her look more womanly and less of the little girl he had come to love dearly two years ago.

Damn. And she just saw him kissing Christine! The look on her face made him stop cold, as he saw the way the light seemed to fade from her green eyes, and the way her lips trembled as two fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I… Miyu…" he was quite at a loss of what to say. The girl he had loved and tried to forget about was standing in front of him, crying, and he could do nothing. NOTHING!

"Sumimasen, I seem to have interrupted on something important." Miyu whispered before turning around to walk inside the house.

"M—Miyu! Matte!"

But she did not look back, for if she did, she just might lose what was left of her battered heart.

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A/n: This is all I could offer now… Please review:p Oh, and a bunch of thanks to everyone who reviewed for the first chappie... they are well appreciated, I tell you! Reviews are like food for the author you know... and cenagurl is in dire need of feeding...;)


	3. Moving On

**The Place You Return To**

by cenagurl

A/n: I know, it sure took me eons to update, and I apologize profusely for the delay. :D anyway, here goes…

PS: Standard disclaimers apply. Yes, Kanata still isn't mine. .

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Chapter 3: Moving On

"Kuso," Kanata murmured as he stared blankly at the ceiling of his bedroom, literally feeling half-dead.

It was almost three in the morning, but still he hadn't slept a wink. Not since he saw Miyu last night, how the light seemed to fade from her eyes as a lone tear slipped down her smooth cheek.

She had said something polite about interrupting Christine and him, which had not sunk then into his stunned mind before turning and walking back into the house, her stance rigid, not showing any signs of weakness.

Christine's distant voice had been what jolted him from his shocked state. "So she's back," she had whispered in a trembling voice. "Just when I thought I was finally going to be happy…"

Kanata turned to his forgotten companion and saw the raw pain in her hyacinth eyes.

"Christine, I—I'm sorry… I have to go…"

Without waiting for her answer, he quickly rushed inside the house, his mind terribly blank, his heart constricting very painfully. He had to explain. he just hoped it wasn't too late.

"Miyu?" his voice had come out croaky as he knocked on her bedroom door, which was locked. "Miyu, I know you can hear me… please let me in so I can explain…"

But no matter what he said the door remained firmly bolted, the girl he loved out of his reach.

And so he remained outside her bedroom door until the sun finally began to rise. Still the door stayed closed; he knew he had to give up, at least only at that moment. Perhaps she had fallen asleep, he thought, as he stood up from the floor and stretched his cramped muscles.

Just then his father strolled out from his own bedroom, something clutched in his hand.

"Here, in case she still refuses to come out for breakfast," Hokushou Saionji said, throwing a key in Kanata's direction. He quickly caught it, a relieved look on his face.

"I have some business to do, so don't expect me to be back until tomorrow morning," his father warned.

Kanata had sprung into action as soon as his father was downstairs. He unlocked the door, and taking a deep breath so as to steel himself, he swung the door open.

Miyu lay on her side on the futon, long strands of her blonde hair curtaining her face from view. Silently he strode over to her, kneeling down as he gently moved away her hair from her face.

And when he did, what he saw made his heart break. Tears still continued to pour from her closed eyes while she slept; every now and then she would give a small hiccup, each teardrop soaking her pillow.

He wiped her tears with his thumb, careful that she would not awaken. When her face was dry, he just sat there, quite content in just watching her sleep.

Just then, she stirred a little, and he watched her lips tremble a little as she whispered, "Kanata…"

His name on her lips sent tingling sensations all over his body, but he stopped cold when a single teardrop slid from her eye, rolling from her cheek down to her parted lips.

Kanata could not resist reaching over and brushing his finger across her petal-soft lips to wipe the tear away. He could clearly recall how those lips had felt against his own, two years ago before she had left him.

How could he think he could forget her by going out with Christine?

And how could he cause such tears?

For a few more moments he continued to watch her, until he felt his eyelids droop low, and then without another thought, he had drifted off into quiet slumber.

He woke up at around nine in the morning, Miyu gone from her room. He went out and searched for her through out the temple but she was nowhere to be found. Feeling panicky, he ran back to her room and saw that she had not yet packed, which meant she just probably took a stroll outside or something.

She returned to the house after lunch, which he had skipped, not having any appetite for any sort of food. He felt his heart leap to his throat at the sight of her; she wore a simple blue summer dress with puffed sleeves, her long blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail. Her feet were encased in white ballet-style shoes, and she clutched a tote bag which matched the color of her outfit. It did not miss his notice her still swollen eyes and the dark circles underneath.

"M—Miyu..." was all he could say as she entered the threshold. She gave him a brief glance, no hint of emotion visible in her green eyes.

"Saionji-san," she said curtly with a slight bow. "I came to gather my things, I just went out to check in at a nearby hotel—"

"Saionji-san?" Kanata echoed. "That's what you call my father!"

Miyu only gave him a cool stare in reply. "I was only being kind. Would you rather be called a heartless bastard?" she said after a few moments, not looking one bit remorseful for saying such rude things. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" she made a move towards the stairs, leaving him gawking after her retreating form. He could not believe that Miyu was capable of such words.

When he got a hold of himself, he quickly followed her upstairs to her room, where he saw her throwing her garments in an opened suitcase.

"Miyu, listen to me," he said urgently as he took a step closer. "Otou-san would get angry with me if I let you leave. You have to stay here," Damn, why couldn't he just admit that he couldn't bear the thought of her moving away again? Why couldn't he just say outright what he really feels? But he knew the answer; he was scared of rejection, terrified of feeling left behind. He had suffered when his mother died, his father left, and when Miyu went to America. He was tired of being abandoned by those he cared about, and that feeling seemed to be winning the battle against his will to take a risk and tell Miyu how she really meant to him.

"... and besides, your parents might call here, they might get worried if they don't find you here," His excuse sounded lame to him, and he did not need her affirmation to tell him that she thoght exactly the same thing. He might as well be talking to thin air though, as Miyu gave no sign that she heard him.

"Miyu…"

Just as he was kneeling down to face her, she stood up, her green eyes glazed with anger. "I know I have no right to be angry, but I am. I hate you so much that I can't even bear looking at your face. And now you're expecting me to live under the same roof with you? I'd rather stay in the streets, so just leave me alone!"

Each word had hit him like lash whips on burnt skin, and for a moment he thought he was going to burst into tears from the searing pain in his heart.

Miyu turned away from him, but he caught her hastily wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Miyu, if you would just hear me out…"

"No need to explain. I understand quite perfectly. It was wrong of me to assume that somehow, in the tiniest sense, you might have felt something for me too. Well, that's just too bad for me, right?" her voice was laced with bitterness. "So there's no need to feel any pity for me, because I don't need it. All I want is for you to leave me alone and stop making me feel like you're guilty of something you should not have done,"

Kanata was shocked with her words that he just stared. Tiniest sense? If she only knew how close his heart was to bursting with love for her, she surely wouldn't speak such words. And yes, he was guilty, guilty of using someone to try to overcome his feelings for Miyu.

"I'm so sorry…" was all he managed to say at the moment.

"There is nothing to apologize about. Please, just leave me," she said, sounding so resigned and defeated that he felt like the dirtiest slimeball on earth for causing her so much pain.

Kanata slowly straightened up, feeling weak and downright horrible. He could not trust himself to speak any longer, for the wetness in his eyes were threatening to spill already. He took in her features for one last time, then turned and walked away.

Miyu did not even say goodbye when she left the house. She simply disappeared, and there were moments when he thought that what had happened was just a dream, and that he would wake up and get news that Miyu was still in America, loving him like she used to years ago.

He regretted everything he had done since she left—going out with Christine had been a grave mistake, and cruelty on his part as well. He knew deep in his heart he was only using her to move on, but that didn't stop him.

'Miyu's right,' he thought. 'I am a heartless bastard,'

Kanata made no inclination of moving from his bed until the next morning, when his father returned.

"Are you telling me you haven't eaten a thing yesterday and did not sleep as well?" Hokushou demanded. "You foolish boy, moping like that won't make her forgive you! Stand up and fight like a man!"

He could only blink at his father in question. So he knew about their fight. Groaning from the effort, he sat up from his bed and stretched.

"There's no chance she would forgive me," Kanata murmured, and was surprised to feel his father's hand patting his shoulder.

"You broke her heart, that's why she seems to think she can't forgive you. But if you show her how sorry you really are, she just might do,"

"No, she won't."

Hokushou gave his son a pat on the head which felt a little awkward on both their parts and said, "She will, if her love for you is strong enough to heal the scars you made on her heart,"

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Miyu heaved a satisfied sigh as she refolded the last of her clothes inside the musty-smelling cabinet of the hotel she was staying in. Well honestly, she thought she would be using those clothes to catch Kanata's attention, but it seemed now she would be using it to impress some other guy. Hah. Her defense mechanisms were sure at their full blast again.

She had enough of hankering after a guy who didn't love her back, so she made a resolution of forgetting about Kanata and attempting to have a new love life while her vacation lasts.

Besides, who needed Kanata anyway? She still got her friends, and there was a lot of catching up they could do that Miyu doubted whether she would still have time to think about that dratted guy.

The familiar ringtone of her cellphone came chirping on, and she saw that Nozomu was calling her.

"Hey, Miyu-chan?" his deep voice sounded at the other end of the line. "I passed by Saionji's house an hour ago and he said that you've moved out. So uh, I was wondering… may I know where you're staying in? See, I…" he paused and took a breath. For the first time since Miyu has met Nozomu, this was the first time she sensed uncertainty in him. "I was wondering if I could take you out on a date, since you... well, if you have other plans…"

"No, no, I'd love to go out with you," Miyu cut in a tad too cheerfully. This was her opportunity to move on, and she was not missing it. Who knows, Nozomu just might be the man for her.

'As if,' a voice in her head said in a sarcastic tone.

"So, what hotel are you staying at? There's this new amusement park I've heard about…"

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A/n: Reviews? Cookies?


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